American Players Theatre is a classical American

theatrical troupe Theatrical troupe (French: ''troupe''), sometimes referred to as an acting company, is a group of theatrical performers working together. They may work in repertory other types of theatres, and may take performances on tour. They are not the same ...

and theater complex located near Spring Green,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. It has been called the best classical theater company in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

by the late ''

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

drama critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...

Terry Teachout Terrance Alan Teachout (February 6, 1956 – January 13, 2022) was an American author, critic, biographer, playwright, stage director, and librettist. He was the drama critic of ''The Wall Street Journal'', the critic-at-large of '' Commentary ...

. The Theatre was founded by

Randall Duk Kim Randall Duk Kim (born September 24, 1943) is an American stage, film, and television actor. Life Kim was born and raised in Hawaii. He is married to actress and fellow American Players Theatre co-founder, Anne Occhiogrosso. Career Theat ...

, Anne Occhiogrosso, and Charles J. Bright, and held its first performance in 1980. Performances are held at a 110-acre complex with two theaters, a 1,089-seat outdoor amphitheater and the 200-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre. It is led by artistic director Brenda DeVita.

History

American Players Theatre was founded in 1977 by

, Anne Occhiogrosso, and Charles J. Bright. The group moved to Spring Green,

in 1979 and held its first performance in 1980. The Theatre struggled financially in its early years and nearly closed after being nominated for a

Regional Theatre Tony Award The Regional Theatre Tony Award is a special recognition Tony Award given annually to a regional theater company in the United States. The winner is recommended by a committee of drama critics. Background Initially presented in 1948 to Robert ...

in 1985. By 1986, the Theatre had approximately $600,000 in debt and announced plans to close, but community fundraising and a loan from the state government allowed the Theatre to pay off its debts. In 2009, the group built the 200-seat Touchstone Theatre to complement its outdoor amphitheater. In 2017, the complex finished a $7.7 million renovation project, replacing a wooden stage built in 1995 in the outdoor amphitheater and adding additional space for props and sets.

Productions

Though initially founded as a purely

Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

company, the Theatre began adding other playwrights to its repertoire in 1985, beginning with Anton Chekhov. Since then, the Theatre has produced plays by

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

, Noël Coward, and Henrik Ibsen, among others. The Theatre produces nine plays each year, eight in the summer and one in winter. Artistic director Brenda DeVita said more than 110,000 people see the performances annually. The Theatre is known for the quality of its performances, with the late ''

, calling it "the finest classical theater festival" in the

References

External links

American Players Theatre website
{{authority control Theatres in Wisconsin Shakespeare festivals in the United States Tourist attractions in Iowa County, Wisconsin Theatre companies in Wisconsin Buildings and structures in Iowa County, Wisconsin